Year: 2021
Type: review
Abstract: The use of bulk nanobubbles in biomedicine is increasing in recent years, which is attributable to the array of therapeutic and diagnostic tools promised by developing bulk nanobubble technologies. From cancer drug delivery and ultrasound contrast enhancement to malaria detection and the diagnosis of acute donor tissue rejection, the potential applications of bulk nanobubbles are broad and diverse. Developing these technologies to the point of clinical use may significantly impact the quality of patient care. This review compiles and summarizes a representative collection of the current applications, fabrication techniques, and characterization methods of bulk nanobubbles in biomedicine. Current state-of-the-art generation methods are not designed to create nanobubbles of high concentration and low polydispersity, both characteristics of which are important for several bulk nanobubble applications. To date, microfluidics has not been widely considered as a tool for generating nanobubbles, even though the small-scale precision and real-time control offered by microfluidics may overcome the challenges mentioned above. We suggest possible uses of microfluidics for improving the quality of bulk nanobubble populations and propose ways of leveraging existing microfluidic technologies, such as organ-on-a-chip platforms, to expand the experimental toolbox of researchers working to develop biomedical nanobubbles.
Source: RSC Advances
DOI: 10.1039/d1ra04890b
Authors: Ali A. Paknahad, Liam Kerr, Daniel A. Wong, Michael C. Kolios, Scott S. H. Tsai
Language: English
Subfield: Water Science and Technology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,042
Awards: G1097593322, G1944040268, G279537525, G3750655874, G3978669723, G459041169, G4822697544, Fundamental studies in the temporal changes of light and sound scattering and absorption to generate new forms of biological and biomaterial contrast, G7032691593, All-aqueous water-in-water droplet microfluidics, G832689143
OpenAlex ID: W3202019417